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Pink boat blocking Florida highway draws viral comparisons to the Suez Canal freighter incident

Egyptian authorities hope to have the shipping lanes free within the next three days

Graig Graziosi
Friday 26 March 2021 22:13 GMT
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Rescue efforts to free cargo ship blocking Suez Canal
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The crate hauler blocking world trade in the Suez Canal is not the only watercraft holding up traffic.

On Thursday, a pink boat fell off its trailer and briefly blocked traffic on a Florida highway, generating comparisons to the ongoing blockage of the Suez Canal in viral social media posts.

The Orlando Sentinel first reported the story. According to the paper, the Florida Highway Patrol worked into the early hours of the morning to remove the boat from Interstate 10, where it blocked traffic for a short time.

The incident did not cause any injuries, but it did spark a number of comparisons to the ongoing incident at the Suez Canal.

"The boats have organised and are striking," Twitter user Katelyn Burns wrote over a picture of the pink boat blocking traffic.

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"Ok, boats need to calm the f*** down," another user going by Fred Delicious wrote.

"The rogue Suez Canal tanker is inspiring copycat attacks," user Raphael Satter wrote.

The Suez Canal has been blocked since Tuesday, when a freighter, the Ever Given, got wedged in the canal. Excavators and tugboats have been working since then to free the freighter and restore the critical shipping lane.

Trade experts have warned that the blockage could have serious repercussions for world logistics that last for weeks. The problems at the canal are compounded by the ongoing shipping shortage caused by the coronavirus.

Mohab Mamish, the Egyptian president's advisor on seaports, offered an optimistic timetable on the freighter's removal, saying the canal would be open within the next 48 to 72 hours.

Earlier this week, the Suez Canal Authority announced that trade through the canal would be "temporarily suspended" until the vessel was cleared.

On Wednesday, the SCA permitted 13 ships to enter the canal from its northern end on the Mediterranean Sea, hoping the freighter would be cleared by the time the ships arrived. However, the freighter remained stuck, and the ships had to stop.

The ship is owned by a Japanese company, Shoei Kisen, and is working with local authorities to remedy the situation.

"We are extremely sorry for causing tremendous worry to the ships that are traveling or scheduled to travel in the Suez Canal, and all the related people," the company told The Associated Press.

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